I'm presenting some information here, and I'm being upfront about it. information in green is common knowledge. -- I don't know if there's a precedent in the PHB for common knowledge, but I'm treating it as a DC 6 -- All other information is known to Anyone who studied Elven or Centaurian lore - DC 15 or DC 10 knowledge check respectively.)

( FYI: The Centaurs are a race that is at least as old as the Elves. )

The two races lived together as cousins. When the goblinkin were born in the caves is the Ironbark forest, the Elves and the Centaurs banded together to fight against the goblinkin, who did not respect the forest.

For some time it'd seemed that the goblinkin were defeated. They had not been seen for nearly a century, and the elves and centaurs relaxed. This was a mistake.

For almost a hundred years the goblinkin were underground breeding and growing. They grew into Orcs, goblins, hobgoblins, ogres, hill giants and other such creatures.

Unexpected, the army of goblinkin stormed out of the ground like a swarm of locusts into the forest. They knew the love that the elves and centaurs had for the trees, so the set fires and slashed at roots to add insult to injury.

This battle lasted for twelve days, and was very costly on both sides, but in the end the goblinkin were defeated. The ones who were not killed, fled.

The twelfth night was bittersweet. It was a night to celebrate victory, but also to morn and honor the dead. This night is observed annually by both the centaurs and the elves. The dead are honored, and thanks is given for their sacrifice.

The trees that were attacked still stand scarred from the battle, in the Grove of Twelve nights, deep in the Ironbark forest.

Its said that during the feast of the twelfth night, the voices of the dead ancestors could be heard singing hymns of pride, honor and victory.

The location of the Grove of Twelve nights has been forgotten, but its whispered that the oldest elves and centaurs still know.

The Twelfth Night was a full thousand years before the emerald dawn.

After the emerald dawn, the elves and centaurs came to understand the nature of magic. It was believed to be a tool to prepare them for something. Many said that the goblinkin would return like they had a thousand years before, greater in number and stronger than ever. Only this time, it would not be just the Ironbark forest. This time they would be coming for the world.

Just like on the Twelfth night, the elves and the centaurs vowed to be the ones left standing.

**NOTE**: It is general knowledge that this is the belief of the centaurs, but it is not a belief commonly shared by other races.

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Centaurs, before the emerald dawn were never really seen outside of their own habitat, which to the known world, was only the Ironbark forest. To those who had never been to the forest, they were merely a story.

Their charge to protect their own habitat became somewhat of a legend, and even a clich�. "I'll protect my home and family like a centaur" was a phrase one might hear.

Since the Emerald Dawn, with the perceived threat larger, they've journeyed outside of the Ironbark Forest. Seeing a Centaur is fairly unusual outside of the forest. It's about as rare as seeing a little-person in real life. Might happen every few months.

Generally speaking, they (Centaurs) are regarded as protectors in general. Typically, they are welcomed in towns and inns and such, but they are seldom interested in visiting these places, and never physically comfortable. Some inns and taverns in the major cities have taken steps to provide for a Centaur patron, but that is rare as well.

It's unheard of to meet a Centaur who is not on some sort of formal or personal quest, be it to investigate whispers of goblinkin activity, or some task they're not willing to share. No Centaur simply wanders... at least, that�s the belief.

For the most part, Elves are the only other race the common Centaur would regard as equal, and even then the Centaurs tend to exude a sense of guardianship. Other non-standard races (races wrought of the magic of the Emerald Dawn) would typically be regarded as even less capable to protect themselves than Humans or older races, being that they are so new to the world.